Jane Zack Simon
04/28/1957 - 03/29/2025
With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Jane Zack Simon, who left us peacefully on March 29, 2025, at the age of 67, from complications due to cancer. A beloved wife, mother, sister, friend, and brilliant legal mind, Jane brought wisdom, love, and laughter into the lives of all who knew her.
Jane was born in Lancaster, California, and raised in Bishop, where her love for nature and strong sense of community and family began. She graduated as valedictorian of Bishop Union High School in 1975, setting the tone for a life defined by curiosity, integrity, and excellence. She attended Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations in 1979. There, she formed many lifelong friendships, particularly with an incredible group of women who shared nearly 50 years of adventure, antics, mutual support, and the countless joys of life.
Jane went on to earn her Doctor of Jurisprudence from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 1984 and joined the California Department of Justice in 1989. Over the next three decades, she helped shape the legal frameworks surrounding public health, healthcare reporting, and physician accountability. A trusted supervisor and mentor, Jane was known for her clarity, fairness, thoughtfulness, and deep commitment to public service. She retired in 2022 and continued to actively contribute to DOJ in a part-time capacity until her diagnosis.
In the Bay Area, Jane met and married Rick Simon, her loving partner in life and husband of 34 years. Together they raised two wonderful children, Nicolas (Nick) and Alison. Jane was a devoted and caring mother, fully present in her children's lives and actively engaged in their schools and community. She made balancing her demanding career with her home life seem effortless, a testament to her incredible work ethic, unwavering tenacity, and big heart. The home Jane and Rick created was a place of warmth, connection, curiosity, kindness, and humor-always welcoming one more friend to the dinner table. Jane's natural ability to listen intently, guide gently, support steadfastly, and laugh quickly earned her the admiration and affection of her countless friends, neighbors, and family members. Her relationships were strong and enduring, rooted in her generosity of spirit, altruism, and quick wit. She loved with her whole heart and was deeply loved in return.
Jane's personal passions reflected her profound appreciation for beauty and peace. She found joy in filling her home with flowers, beautiful treasures, and artwork from her travels and life. She delighted in listening to birds chirping in her colorful garden and the sound of sprinklers ticking in an alfalfa field. She adored her many cats and dogs. She cherished sharing new adventures, books, and delicious meals with her friends and family.
In reflecting on Jane's life, we found ourselves drawn to the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, which beautifully captures the way Jane moved through the world:
"WHAT IS SUCCESS?
To laugh often and much;
To win the respect of intelligent people and the affection of children;
To earn the appreciation of honest critics and endure the betrayal of false friends;
To appreciate beauty;
To find the best in others;
To leave the world a bit better, whether by a healthy child, a garden patch, or a redeemed social condition;
To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived-
This is to have succeeded."
Jane is survived by her husband Rick; her son Nick and daughter Alison; her brother Fred Zack; her sister Kathy Zack and brother-in-law Peter Stickells; her sister Andy; her brother Tom Zack and sister-in-law Kate; and her nieces and nephew Anne, Laura, and Stephen Stickells. She leaves behind a wide circle of extended family and friends who will carry forward her memory-with love and gratitude for her steady presence, vivacious spirit, and the happiness she brought into their lives.
A celebration of Jane's life will be held in June. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a scholarship fund being established in Jane's name for a deserving law school student committed to public service. For information about that scholarship, please send a note to [email protected]. Jane is gone from our sight, but not from our hearts. Our memories with her are a blessing every day.

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Published by San Francisco Chronicle on May 1, 2025.